ARTICLES ABOUT ORGANIC PRODUCTS BY DATE - PAGE 3

NEW DELHI: Rising awareness of healthy food apart from increase in disposable income has ensured that nearly 62% of households in the upper end segment prefer to have organic products. There has been a major shift in for organic products, especially fruit and vegetables in the cities as about 62% of metropolitans buy organic, an increase of 95% in the last 5 years, according to a survey undertaken by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). The report on "Rising demand of Organic products in Metropolitan cities" is based on a survey done on 1,500 lead retailers selling non-organic and organic products.

MUMBAI: When Hari Menon first launched an online grocery operation under the Fabmart.com umbrella in 2000, it was an idea before its time. The idea of buying fruits, vegetables, rice and sugar on an e-commerce platform was still alien to Indian consumers and the operation was shut in less than a year. Now Menon is back with a full-fledged online grocery site called Bigbasket.com and this time, the market seems ready for the concept. With operations in Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad, Bigbasket has garnered 40,000 active users over the last two years and sales are growing at a clip of 20% month-onmonth.

Imagine that you own a small but rapidly growing company in Vermont, and that your products are starting to sell in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. You would probably hate it if those states forced you to comply with inconsistent and redundant regulatory requirements. Fortunately, the US has a national market. Sure, unnecessary red tape still produces headaches, but the federal system (including the constitution) sharply limits a state's power to disrupt the free movement of goods across state lines.

KOLKATA: Brands may be spending million to promote an eco-friendly-image, but when it comes to actual sales, organic and 'planet-friendly' products have failed to move cash registers for retailers, whether it's fresh produce, groceries or even clothing. Top food retailers like Future Group, Reliance Retail and Spencer's Retail say sales from organic vegetables, fruit and food products account for less than 2 per cent of total food sales, even three or four years after their launches.

The setting is rustic, but there seems nothing artistic about making bodycare products. So, the name Rustic Art seems rather incongruous for a firm that makes sunscreen lotions, healing oils, shampoos, biodegradable washing powder, bathing soaps, baby lotions, baby massage oils, hair oils, etc? The art, however, lies in nurturing a concept that has enabled the production of eco-friendly products and Rs 12 lakh in the first year of operations. The company is the brainchild of 43-year old Sunita Jaju , who has a master's degree in sustainable development from Manipal University, and her 25-year-old niece Swati Maheshwari . The idea took root in December 2010 and it took barely a month to formalise it into a company based at Satara, Maharashtra.

FARIDABAD: As awareness about organic food catches up with the middle class, newer markets have emerged in Delhi-NCR. But unlike Gurgaon, Faridabad has been struggling to measure up as a profitable market for organic food retailers. When Vivek Ghai launched A-One Organic Farms in Faridabad three years ago, he was quite sure that people would embrace the idea. However, after investing about Rs 1 crore in the business and even running into losses, Ghai still waits for people to wake up to the merits of organic food.

CHANDIGARH: Direct selling major Amway India today said it will open research and development centre soon for making India specific products, including ayurvedic, organic in health and beauty segments. "We will open R&D centre in India. The focus of (R&D) will be on opportunities in India and on exactly types of things, whether on ayurvedic products or organic products or other products that work for India. "Our focus is on India and globally is on health and beauty categories...we see there is a lot of potential for these categories," Amway India MD and CEO William S Pinckney told reporters here on the sidelines of opening of company's touch point here.

NEW DELHI: FMCG firm Organic India today said it is looking at three-fold growth in turnover to Rs 200 crore by 2015-16 and has plans to launch organic grocery items such as rice, dal and spices next year. "With rapid expansion and awareness of organic products, we expect robust growth in our business. We are hoping to touch a revenue of Rs 200 crore by 2015-16," Organic India Managing Director and Global CEO Krishan Guptaa told reporters here. The company had clocked a turnover of Rs 70 crore in last financial year, of which 40 per cent came from the domestic market and rest from exports, he added.

NEW DELHI: Hooked to organic food for its supposed health benefits? Here's some food for thought. In the largest analysis of studies till date on organic food, researchers from Stanford University have said there is "little evidence of healthier benefits from organic food over those grown conventionally". The researchers found no difference in protein or fat content between organic and conventional milk. No consistent differences were also seen in the vitamin content of organic products.

NEW DELHI: The market for Organic food products in India is growing at 20-22 per cent a year, a top official from private sector Yes Bank said. "The market for organic foods is growing at an compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20-22 per cent," Yes Bank's Country Head, Food and Agribusiness, Girish Aivalli told PTI. With rising spending power of the growing middle class in the country and increased awareness towards chemical free food, organic and natural products sector will grow significantly in the coming years, he added.